2023 Marshallese general election
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General elections were held in the Marshall Islands on 20 November 2023, alongside a constitutional referendum.[1][2]
Electoral system[edit]
The 33 members of the Nitijeļā are elected in 19 single-member constituencies via first-past-the-post voting and five multi-member constituencies of between two and five seats via plurality block voting.[3]
Results[edit]
 | This section needs to be updated. (November 2023) |
Complete vote tabulation did not begin until 5 December, due to Marshallese law permitting postal ballots postmarked prior to the election to arrive and be counted up to 14 days after election day. On 27 November, preliminary results not including postal ballots indicated substantial turnover in the Nitijeļā with as many as one third of parliamentary seats turning over to new members, including that of speaker Kenneth Kedi.[4]
On 12 December, the RMI Election Administration issued "final unofficial" results, beginning a 14-day period in which the results can be challenged before being declared "final official". The unofficial results showed the defeat of the incumbent candidate in 13 of the 33 seats in the Nitijeļā, confirming the loss of speaker Kedi as well as the defeat of Vice Speaker Peterson Jibas and government ministers John Silk and Casten Nemra. Four women were elected, the most ever. Official results are expected on 26 December.[5]
Aftermath[edit]
While elections in the Marshall Islands are officially nonpartisan, most members of the Nitijeļā are part of unofficial groupings. The final unofficial results showed losses to the group supporting the government of President David Kabua, including several cabinet members, while the group spporting former President Hilda Heine increased its numbers. The new Nitijeļā convened on 2 January 2024 to elect the President, Speaker, and Vice Speaker.[5]
Presidential election[edit]
Incumbent President David Kabua lost to the Opposition candidate and former President Hilda Heine by one vote.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilda Heine | Opposition | 17 | 51.52 | |
| David Kabua | Government | 16 | 48.48 | |
| Total | 33 | 100.00 | ||
| Total votes | 33 | – | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 33 | 100.00 | ||
References[edit]
- ^ "Pacific news in brief for September 19". RNZ. 2023-09-19. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
- ^ RMI Electoral Administration
- ^ Electoral system IPU
- ^ Johnson, Giff (27 November 2023). "Marshalls election shows big shakeup in parliament". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 28 November 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
- ^ a b Johnson, Giff (15 December 2023). "Marshall Islands election puts opposition in driver's seat". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
| General elections | |
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| Constitutional Conventions | |
| Referendums | |
